


Crossing Lines

by Septemberfall



Category: Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Horror, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24488950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Septemberfall/pseuds/Septemberfall
Summary: Alice Young has spent her entire life running away. The time has come, she will fight for her life and she will fight for the Hessian.
Relationships: Headless Horseman/Original Female Character(s), The Hessian (Sleepy Hollow 1999)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

My name is Alice Young and the day I finally decided to run away from my life in New York City was also the day I started to follow my destiny. It was during one of the hottest summers, one in which the birds smashed their heads against the windows, looking desperately for some shade.

I left my work at the McDonald`s early and ran to the tiny apartment I was renting with Dean. I have decided the sooner I leave him the better. I counted the money with trembling hands: 1.230 bucks was all I could save during the past months I put the wrinkly notes in my wallet and threw the few clothes I had in a suitcase. People used to say Dean was the all-American boy, with a special charm and unflappable smile, but they did not know him like I knew him, and I have the bruises and scars to prove it.  
I was 23 years old when I met him in a bar, and his sweet brown eyes tricked me into moving in with him. Three years down from there I have had enough. I looked myself in the mirror and tried to hide the bluish bruises around my mouth and cheek with concealer. No avail. I finally picked up my long blonde hair into a ponytail and methodically took the luggage, took the keys, closed the door of the department behind me. Double lock, Dean will have a hard time trying to open it when he arrives drunk as usual. Before I went down the stairs, I stifled a sob with a deep breath. "Alice, you can do it girl."

I checked my watch: 9:40 pm

Where the hell am I?

The secondhand Ford was going at 90 mph and around me everything was darkness. "I should have crossed the state line around an hour ago!"- I thought - There was something wrong, the road became much narrower and I hadn't crossed with a car for a very long time. I was afraid of turning on my phone and use the navigation because I was sure Dean would try to reach me as soon as he realized I was gone, but seeing now that the car was running out of gas it seemed like it was my only option.  
I parked the car on the side of the road and turned on my phone. There was no signal and as I tried to understand what was happening I heard a noise. It seemed like the neighs of a horse, but it sounded as if it were far away. I thought that it could be coming from a farm in the vecinity and I did not payed much attention, I kept looking at my phone but then I heard it a second time and this time it seemed to come from somewhere else; much closer. An intense fear washed over me, and I felt a chill go down my spine.  
I made sure all the doors were locked and I looked around but I just saw the empty road ahead and tree branches all around. No lights, nothing. A loud thunder followed by lightning startled me. It was a clear day with no clouds indicating rain whatsoever. What the fuck is happening? There it was again, horse hooves getting closer and closer, the sound of the wind among the trees and my whole body shaking with terror.

-"Shit, shit, shit…" I whispered desperately while trying to bring the car to life again and finally able to get out of there. After a second trying the Ford finally moved I let out a sigh of relieve but my tortuous experience was far away from finished. The hooves of the horse louder than ever while my car was going slower and slower until it came to a halt. The blinking headlights were illuminating the unpaved road when suddenly, for a split of a second, I saw it crossing the way. A black blurred figure bigger than any horse I could think about came from right to left crossing in front of my car. The fear was seizing me and even though I felt the urge of scream there was no sound coming out of my open mouth.  
A moment of silence. I was breathing desperately, and I finally let go of the scream of horror I had stuck in my throat.

-"It is ok… There is nothing… there is nothing. It is your stupid brain playing tricks. Use your logic; use your goddamned logic…"

A minute passed in total silence and I was trying to decide whether getting out of the car. The headlights finally died and holding my breath I opened the door with a trembling hand.

CRASH!

The whole roof of the car was crushed by the second I stepped out of it. A huge black horse was over it, neighing in the most desperate way. I shrieked terrified when I saw the man on the horse. Man? I could not believe my eyes. There was no head! No fucking head! THAT IS NOT A HUMAN!

I ran as fast as the strength in my legs allowed me down the road but I realized it would be easy for that being to catch me so I made a leap of faith and went through the woods. The Horseman was behind me and I heard with horror the metallic sound of an unsheathed sword.  
I could not see more than three inches far from my nose and I tripped with a rock falling into the hard ground hurting my hand and my knees. I didn't even think about the pain, I stood up and kept running while limping on one leg but the horseman was faster and grabbed me by the hair.

-"No please. I beg you!" – I cried.- “I'd do anything. Anything you want. Please don't kill me."

The Horseman was brandishing his sword in an indecisive way. After a moment he sheathed it. I kept sobbing petrified of terror and with my hair still tangled in the Horseman gloved hand.

He let go of me pushing me to one side while descending from his horse. Now I paid attention to his clothes, he seemed to be wearing a very torn and antique armor, all black and dirty. A long red and black cape that touched the ground and a high collar that managed to make the lack of head even more impressive.

-"Wha… what do you want me to do?'

The horseman grabbed my hand and with the other he grabbed his horse reins and took us both to an unknown location deep in the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

I was sweating so much, there was no breeze and the humidity in the woods made breathing difficult. The sweat made my bruises burn and I was getting extremely anxious because that "thing" had tied both my wrists with a thick rope and I was unable to apart my sweaty bangs from getting into my eyes. He was pulling me the same way he was pulling his horse. Once the initial shock vanished and the adrenaline stoped pumping I was starting to feel the pain and exhaustion in my body! I was wearing a pair of flat sandals that did not protect my feet from the stones and the stinging nettle.

We'd been walking for around half an hour and I was trying to find among the trees any light, any sign of human presence that at least could give me hope to run away. I could not believe what it was happening; this must be a freaking nightmare. Stuff like this just happens on TV! Then, all of a sudden a vague memory came to me: Class of 2008, my last year in High School. Mr. White, my literature teacher and a very random topic: American writers, Washington Irving. THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN OF SLEEPY HOLLOW.

I stopped on my tracks and the "thing" turned to me, walking slowly.

"Oh! Damn am I stupid!" – I almost screamed at him. – "Is it true? The Headless Horseman! But you are almost a fucking celebrity!"

For some reason something in my mind made a click and for a blessing and lovely moment I thought I understood what it was all that about." It is a prank show of course! This should be one of those programs that play the hard-kind jokes and pranks on people!" I even let out a nervous giggle.

Hell, how wrong was I.

"All right, this should stop now." – I said to the Horseman. – "You gave me a good spook already, I think is enough."

I tried to pull away from him but that man kept the rope with strength and he didn't even move an inch away from me. I once again, grew more and more afraid and millions of thoughts were running in my brain: "How about the car? The car was destroyed. Nobody brought me here. How the tv staff would knew that somebody would pass through that road? And why there are no cameras approaching? Why, goddammit why?!"

My whole life I was a convinced skeptical, and now right in front of me, is one of the biggest legends in history. Without head.

"It is impossible, it is impossible…" – I whispered.

I tried to give some more steps back but the Horseman lost his patience and abruptly pulled the rope towards him making me fall on my knees. I was wearing black denim shorts so my skin broke as I fell and the sudden stinging from my hurt knees was not enough to make me react. I just looked at him in horror and I didn't move.

"No, no." – I whispered to myself. –"It is not real, I am just dreaming."

I whispered incessantly, closing and opening my eyes, hoping that the vision of the ghost and the woods would vanish. The Horseman pulled once again and this time harder, making my wrists and my arms suffered in pain. I screamed in desperation:

"SOMEONE HELP ME! HELP!"

The Horseman lifted his arms impatiently, then approached me and hit me lightly on the temple. I was really surprised that he wasn't more violent, but I stopped screaming right away. Something grew inside me. It wasn't fear, it wasn't dread, it wasn't concern, it was hate. Hate and an impetuous fury that I kept locked inside and I fed day after day of beatings, insults and mistreatment from Dean, from my boss, from my family and, especially, from myself because deep down I knew that I was guilty of allowing myself to be abused. I was the one to blame for not striving to achieve my dreams, for always feeling inadequate and inferior.

And now, when I thought I was going to be free, when I finally had enough courage to escape from everyone and decided to take control of my life, a being from another world crossed my path to freedom, killing my hopes, destroying my car and, like Dean, hurting my body. The Horseman was still pulling the rope and only that action bothered me. It bothered me a lot, for a moment it was like I was seeing everything from the outside. Have you ever had that feeling, when you see on the news, that someone abused a child or committed an unforgivable injustice to some innocent? Yes, that kind of feeling, that burning that only makes you want to jump on that criminal and cut him to pieces.

-"Stop you, son of a bitch." I hissed at him.

I stood up and as if some sort of strange power took over my body, I pushed the Horseman with my bound hands, I used what was left of my strength to give kicks at his knees and I punched his chest but it was like trying to hit a rock. The ghost stood still for a few minutes until I grow tired and started to pant, I became so angry because of the fact that he seemed to be enjoying my sudden attack against him. I tried in vain to get myself loose from the ropes but the Horseman put an arm around my waist and brought me close to him. So close that my nose was squashed against his cold armor. I looked up at the place where his head was supposed to be and I saw in horror his cut neck: The ripped muscles, the artery plugged with an immense clot of blackish blood, and a splinted bone coming out. The vision was so horrible that it made me retch. I spit thick saliva to the earth and I tried to breath slowly to stop myself from vomiting. The Horseman took the remaining rope that was hanging from my wrists and tied it around my arms and my trunk leaving me just able to walk. At that point I wished I could just faint so I would not have to give a step more. I whispered to the Horseman:

"Please, my feet hurt. I am tired. At least, can I go on the horse?"

The Horseman just gave me a soft push in the back and I had to continue the tortuous pace but just a few hundred meters later I saw our destiny place:

An ensemble of huge rocks that created a sort of cave. I was reluctant to go inside but my companion thought completely different to me and grabbing me by the arm he dragged me inside. It was so dark that I could not see anything clearly and just the dim moonlight that came through the entrance allowed me to guess the objects that were around me: Something that looked like a table crammed with strange forms. What could they be? Saws? Knives? Surely those were instruments of torture. I looked up and I saw shadows hanging from the ceiling. Past victims, perhaps? I felt the Horseman was very close to me and I heard our steps resounding within the cave. He was right behind of me and he cut the ropes that were tying my arms to my torso, later his gloved hand took my hands and left me free of the painful strings. I froze into think what would that headless monster do to me? I could not do anything. Should I try to escape? To run back into the woods? No, he could catch me immediately. I notice how the Horseman positioned my hands as if I would get to receive something, with my palms up and open. I closed my eyes ready to feel the pain of the sword but to my surprise he put a very heavy thing in my hands. I touched it and I felt its hard cover, its soft, old and so overused paper pages that they had become as tender as the chamois. The Horseman hurried me and opened the book looking for something in particular while I was still holding it.

"What? Do you want me to read something?"

I thought to myself: - "Did he just bring me here to read? Would be this some kind of fetish? Is this just a trick?" – The Horseman gave soft taps with his finger in the book.

-"It is so dark, I cannot see anything, I cannot read if there is no light!" – I sneakily tried to give a step back towards the entrance while saying: - "Maybe, if I go out, I would be able to read with the moonlight…"

The Horseman realized my intentions immediately and once again, took me violently from the neck, shoving me back to the inside. I fell over my butt and I was about to give a moan but then I saw him closing the entrance with something that seemed like a wooden door, he secure it with a rock and the dark was now abysmal. I started to panic wondering where the Horseman would be. I tried to calm down but I just could not stop my brain into imagine the horrendous things that that thing could do to me. I heard some snapping noises and floating in the blackness there were a few shiny sparks. Seconds later I was finally able to see the cave that now looked more like some sort of refuge from the XVIII century: Piles of ancient books were stacked against the walls. There was also something that looked like a chimney carved in the rock and a little water well that was covered with a greenish moss. Across of it there was a pair of age-worn and rusty shackles hanging from the wall. I turn my eyes, looking for the Horseman and he was kneeled by my side. I wanted to be the farthest distance away possible from him so I crawled in the opposite direction but then I smashed something with my hand. At first I thought it was a twig because it made a dry noise when I broke it but then I looked more carefully. A whole skeleton was scattered around the place.

"Shit! What?! – I screamed. I turned my body and ,without parting my eyes from the empty sockets of the skull, I felt the urge of hug myself to something so I put my arms around the first thing I could. A few seconds later I realized what I was doing: I turned my view back to the Horseman and I release him immediately, putting my hands up in the air and apologizing:

"I am sorry. I was just…" – The Horseman put his finger on my lips shutting me up and once again, he put the heavy book in my hands. It was so heavy that I had to support it over my knees.

"OK, So do you want me to read?"

He tapped once again the open book showing me a very short paragraph, not more than 2 lines but the book was in such bad condition that it was hard for me even attempt to recognize any of the words.

"This is not English. I cannot read this."

The Horseman didn't seem to care about my opinion, he just insisted pointing out the same paragraph with his gloved finger.

"Why you want to do this anyway? Ok, let me see…"

**Somnium chimaeram visum est hominis. Qui mortuus est sicut somnus iumentorum. Tantum tempus desideria cognoscit et somniorum. Patrem tuum, tempus et vita in manibus habentur.**

I had no idea what it was this about but I grew worried when I saw the Horseman suddenly standing up and going to a decrepit wooden shelf. He was looking for something and, as far as I could guess, he could not find it. While he was throwing everything from the shelf (ceramic containers, little copper pots, books, papers, wooden boxes) I started to check the place again. "This cave is even… cozy…" – I thought. Of course after getting rid of the skulls, bones and from the Horseman, this place could be a lovely cottage… I let my thoughts go blank while I was looking around and suddenly I saw it. This is the thing the Horseman was looking for: Hanging from the ceiling were some oil lamps and inside one of them there was a rock with the size of baby fist. I don't know why I notice it so intensely, but I felt almost as if that amber rock were calling me.

The Horseman was still going around throwing things and checking containers. I felt I needed to call him but I did not know how. "Hmmmm, Horseman sir? – I said with a trickle of voice but he didn't hear me.

"Horseman!" - I called out. – "Look !" - I said to him while indicating the rock with my extended arm. The Horseman came and with ease, he took the stone.

I felt relaxed. I thought it was finally over, but the Horseman came back to me showing me the same page in the old book. He put the stone inside my hands and tapped the page again.

And I, obediently read:

**Somnium chimaeram visum est hominis. Qui mortuus est sicut somnus iumentorum. Tantum tempus desideria cognoscit et somniorum. Patrem tuum, tempus et vita in manibus habentur** **.**

What happened later was the most strange and scary sensation I have ever felt in my life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Somnium chimaeram visum est hominis. Qui mortuus est sicut somnus iumentorum. Tantum tempus desideria cognoscit et somniorum. Patrem tuum, tempus et vita manibus habentur.**

A strong noise similar to the one produced by the engines of an airplane invaded the tiny cave and as I was reciting one by one the words of that spell, the stone in my hand was getting incredibly hot and acquired an spectral orange glowing, until what seemed first as an ordinary stone became a sort of a melting crystal, so translucent that I was able to see my burning skin through it. I tried to throw it to the side as the pain was getting unbearable but it was fused with my hand. The noise was increasing rapidly and was drilling my head. The Horseman was standing next to me and he took me by my forearm squeezing tightly. A second later the light of the torch the Horseman had lighted, extinguished and through the darkness just the glooming glow of the stone could be seen.

Tic, tac. Tic, tac. Tic, tac.

‘’A clock?”- I tracked the place looking for the mechanical instrument that was originating the sudden sound but when I was giving a step forward the ground gave such a strong jolt that I thought an earthquake was taking place. I turned afraid to look at the Horseman but to my horror I could not see him. I could not see anything. Everything was pitching black and then… I just floated… My feet were not touching the ground and I was just floating in the dark emptiness.

Tic, tac. Tic, tac. Tic, tac.

I tried to move. I tried to kick but I could not feel any solid surface, I just felt the weight of the book in my arms, the burning in my hand and (even if I could not see him) the grip of the horseman in my forearm. My body was turning slowly and I could not stop myself to think about those Discovery Channel documentaries of astronauts because that was exactly how I was feeling now, floating and turning in a complete un-gravitational emptiness. I cannot say how much time did I stay in that state but then I started to feel so dizzy…

Tic, tac. Tic, tac. Tic… tac…

Finally, stopped… and now?

It was as if a giant vacuum turned on and swallowed all the darkness around me. A supernatural force threw me with violence against a hard layer of snow. I gave several flips hurting my back and my legs and the book was thrown before I finally went to a stop.

“OH GOD!” – I screamed in shock and pain. Finally, that stone from hell detached from my hand and I tossed it away from me in rage. I stood up fast; I could not bear the gelid snow against my naked legs. The sudden blaze of sun left me startled and it took me a few seconds to adapt to the sudden brightness. When I was able to process the scenery around me, I was shocked. 

“What in the hell…?” - It was so cold, and I could just see some spare trees and hills on the distance. - “Shit, shit, shit, WHAT’S GOING ON?” – I said to myself.

Shivering, I went to the place where the book had fallen and when I was just a few steps away from it, the whining of a much-known horse froze me in the act.

I saw him… a huge horse, black as coal was coming closer to where I was and its master, riding on it was all dress in black. “He is here.” – I thought. “The Headless Horseman.”

No headless anymore… I saw him coming bending his body to take the book and I was just able to take notice of his pale features and his wild dark hair because just a split of a second later I jumped over the book and missing the hooves of the giant horse by mere inches. I grabbed the book and without looking back I run as fast as I could to wherever direction I could be safe. It was just so useless as the man gave a roar of war and went after me. A blow in the head, a contusion in my scalp and the book was gone from my hands while I was falling once again in the snow. Desperately I saw him hiding it in an old leather sack. I was about to scream with rage but then my hand brushed against something solid and warm, I looked through the corner of my eye and there it was: The yellowish stone, still warm; still transparent. I hid it as well as I could within my breasts and my bra and I allowed the Horseman to pull me up from the ground and to put me in his lap on the horse.

-“Where is the stone?” – He asked, muttering his words with a dry and much accented voice.

I stared at him in shock, his thin and cracked lips were apart showing his teeth which were not human at all, instead they were sharp fangs, his cheeks were sunken and the color of his baggy and wrinkly eyes were of a beautiful shade of blue that kind of compensated the horror that his mouth was. I felt a sudden and unapproved blush in my cheeks. - “Are you really that stupid, Alice?” - I mentally kicked myself for found him mildly attractive though all the troubles and physical abuse he has gave me. Maybe I was suffering of the so called Stockholm’s syndrome? Was I like those women that always choose the abusive man and enjoy being submissive? Why can I just stop to ask myself questions and better focus on the current situation? The only thing I was sure about was the cold. I was literally freezing and I tried my best to think clearly but maybe for the contusion I suffered, the Horseman’s face started to fade. I closed my eyes feeling the impending need to sleep but opened them once again when the man shook my shoulders.

-“Where is it?” – This time his voice was angrier and I was able to recognize his heavy accent as one of a German.

-“Where am I? – I finally was able to articulate a question. – “Why is it snowing? It is July… Isn’t it?

The Horseman gave me an exasperated glance and huffing fiery he took my neck with his giant hand and squeezed it; I started to miss the air. I tried to take deep breaths but the cold air caused me incredible pain in the chest. A few tear drops went down my cheeks and I was sure I was destined to die in that very same moment but the Horseman let go of me and I started to cough gasping for the gelid air.

-“I am the one doing questions in here.” – He said. – “Tell me, where is the stone?”

-“I do not know.” – I lied and in a pleading whisper I said –“I am very cold. Please, please help me.”

The Horseman looked thoroughly at me and he roughly passed a gloved hand over my head and through my chest and legs. In any other situation I could have think of that action as a severe invasion to my personal space but at this moment I just wanted to close my eyes and let myself fall in the heavy slumber.

-“You are bleeding.”

I frowned and passed my hand over my face. My nose was bleeding profusely and the blood was dripping slowly down my chin.

-“I am not feeling good.” –I muttered. My teeth were chattering and with an involuntary impulse I inclined myself against the chest of the Horseman putting my arms around his waist trying to get some of his heat, I heard he gave a muffled gasp of surprise but I didn’t care at all, I just closed my eyes seizing finally that exquisite moment of drowsiness, but I was interrupted by a soft patting in my cheeks.

-“Don’t sleep. Keep your eyes open.”

-“What?”

The Horseman took off his long cloak and wrapped my legs and my torso with it then he put one arm around bringing me closer. With his free hand he took the reins and gave another cry of war making his horse rear up and galloping fast. It was so hard not to fall asleep, even though all the sudden jolts and bumps. I felt another flow of blood coming out of my nose and I saw shiny stars. I lost my consciousness.

**. . .**

When I finally woke up, I was suffering of the most hideous headache. “What the hell happened?” I wondered. I was lying on a wide bed in a room without windows and very spare furniture. On the brick wall was a fireplace burning and next to it lying in the floor I saw the cloak of the Horseman and his leather sack. I remembered what had happened and nervously I took my hands to my chest hoping the stone was still there and effectively, there it was. Now I just needed to get the book. I got up and took the sack snooping through his belongings: Old clothes, a shaving razor, a brush, rope, a knife, a small sack with coins, a bottle of something that looked like medicine, but no trace of the book. I heard the noise of steps coming from the ceiling and I frantically threw everything back into the sack but then something caught my attention: It was a lacquered black case of about 12 inches long that was hidden among some dirty cloth, the curiosity overpowered my sense and I pulled up the latch with trembling hands opening the box. Inside there was a gleaming dagger with a carved silver handle in the form of a snake and two emeralds mounted as its eyes. I looked at it, surprised to find something that rich among the worn-out belongings of the late Headless Horseman.

-“Put it back.”

The hiss of the Horseman startled me. He was leaning against the frame of the door looking at me with his arms crossed against his chest.

-“It was not my intention. I am sorry.”

-“Oh yes, yes **_it_** **_was_** your intention. You are looking for the book I suppose.”

I did not answer him; I stood up slowly and gave a few steps towards him.

-“Where am I?”

-“You are not in the position to ask any question.” – He said. –“Where is the stone?”

-“I don’t know.”

The Horseman grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently lifting me off the floor. I was astounded into think this was the very same man that saved me from death just a few hours ago. He threw me into the bed and jumped over me holding my wrists together against the pillow with one of his hand and cupping my cheek with the other. His face was so close to mine that his warm breath gave me the shivers.

-“Where. Is. The. Fucking. Stone.?!”

-“I DO NOT KNOW!” – I panicked; I did not know what to do but certainly I did not trust this man. I was just hoping to find the book and luckily come across a spell to send me back home. I could not stop myself from crying and my sobs seemed to appease his rage. He freed me from his grip and moved away from me. I sat on the edge of the bed trying to control my tears. Why was I condemned to this? I looked at the Horseman while he rummaged in his sack. I had to play along until I could figure out where did he hide the book.

-“Take off your clothes.” -He said and tossed at me some of his. Trousers, an old thick cotton shirt and a grey cape made of a very heavy textile. -“Put them on. We are leaving.”

I looked at myself and I realized my white tank top was stained with dry blood and my sandals were missing. The Horseman was staring at me from the other side of the room and I realized he was not willing to leave.

-“Hmm, would you mind ?”- I said quietly.

The Horseman pierce me with his eyes and with a husky voice he suddenly said:

-“I haven’t had a woman for almost 200 years.”

He came closer and sat down next to me; I froze and fixed my gaze in the floor. His pale fingers run up and down my thigh so softly and slowly that I felt the fuzz of my back went up and my skin turned to goosebumps. I gave him a nervous look and he leaned closer moving a few strands of hair away from my neck and pressed his warm mouth against the tender skin. I unconsciously gave a tiny moan and closed my eyes; this action seemed to encourage him to give a step forward and he lightly bite me with his fangs giving me an electric shock that went throughout my spine. I opened my eyes astonished and separated from him.

-“I.. I cannot.” –I got no idea what to say to him. He was totally unpredictable, and it was impossible for me to choose the right words that did not turn him in the demon that he obviously was. – “I am sorry, I am not going to… you know… I don’t even know who you are.”

The Horseman stared up and down to me and let go an annoyed sigh. He opened and closed his mouth licking his lips thoughtfully choosing his words. Finally, he put his hands together over his lap and breathed deeply telling me in a soft voice:

-“I was used to be known as Kommander Klaus Schaffer, leader of the Hessian Mercenaries and one of the biggest terrors of the American army.” – He stopped for a moment, cracked his knuckles and continued with an agitated voice –“Today is Monday, the 27th of December, 1779. I died the 28th and I have been dead for 235 years. But now, I am back here, I am alive again”

-“What?” – I could not believe what I was hearing.

He stood up and reached the door and before opening it he just said:

-“Get dressed, we will leave immediately.”

-“Wait!” – I said moving fast towards him. –“How did you become the Headless Horseman? Why do you still want the stone?”

-“Who wouldn’t want that power?” – He simply said sneering at me. And he left leaving me with thousands of questions.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

\- "Who wouldn’t want that power?"

My mind was spinning out of control and I could barely concentrate. Time travel, of that I was sure.

When I was convinced that the Hessian's footsteps had already moved away, I took the stone and examined it. It had lost its warmth and it looked like an ordinary yellow stone again. How could the Horseman know how to use it? And why hadn't he tried to go back in time long before? The man seemed indecipherable, sometimes ruthless and violent, and other times he was kind enough not to cross the line with me if I didn't want it.

I was trying to go over in my head what I knew about that time. 1779. American Revolution and Independence. Great, I had arrived in the middle of a war. My history teacher would kill to be in my place.

I folded my clothes and put them in the sack, I thanked the Hessian for at least be considerate enough by giving me that heavy cape; The pants were a bit wide and long, but I fitted them as well as I could with the belt. I took the Hessian's things and left the small room.

The space outside was dark and the only light was visible at the end of a wooden stairway. I climbed slowly, still barefoot, mentally preparing myself for the shock of seeing the world from 200 years ago. A large room was before me; It seemed to be a tavern with several tables crowded with men in military uniforms who drank beer, laughed and sang to the rhythm of the music of a harpsichord. Some women wrapped in brightly coloured dresses fluttered like butterflies between tables laughing, pouring alcohol and putting their hands where they shouldn't.

I looked for the Hessian in the crowd but couldn't see him anywhere. I moved forward trying to go unnoticed and begging to get out of there soon. Suddenly I felt a hand grabbing my arm and when I turned, I realized that it was not the Hessian. A man nearly seven feet tall, with a long reddish beard, looked at me with watery intoxicated eyes.

\- "Look what we have here. A new girl!" I tried to pull away from him but he was still holding on tight. - “Wait, wait, nobody refuses to be with me. I have never seen you around here. Hey Paul! Paul! How much for this one?

A short, bald man looked at me from behind the bar, arching his eyebrows in surprise.

\- "She is worth ten." - He said after a few moments.

\- "Ten coins? But if he is not so young! I give you six. "

At that moment I took advantage of the giant's distraction and, horrified, I ran between the tables while he followed me. I knocked down some chairs and spilled several cups of beer, but the soldiers seemed to have a lot of fun. They screamed and clapped as they cackled each time I tripped trying to dodge the giant's hands.

\- "No Please. Stop!" - I was begging when he finally caught me.

\- “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!”

The Horseman’s voice thundered above the bustle of the tavern and in an instant everything stopped. All eyes fell on the Hessian that was approaching with quick steps looking angrily at me.

The giant who was at least five inches taller than the Horseman shot him a dismissive look as he exclaimed:

\- “I saw her first and I will keep her. Hey Paul, I'll pay you the ten coins.”

It was only a second, the shine of the Horseman's sword unsheathed and the muffled cry of the people. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I saw how the sharp tip of the sword stopped almost grazing the flesh of the giant's neck. The Horseman's face had changed, his features had a fierce expression and his eyes were shining in a demonic way.

\- "Get out." - He snapped at me.

My feet were nailed to the ground and only because two women took me to another room in the compound was I able to move.

\- “How dare you get into a men's fight? - One of them told me while looking at my men's clothes. The other young woman cracked open the door to spy on what was happening. - "Why are you dressed like this?"

I ignored her question and went to the door to see what was happening outside as well, but she slammed it shut.

\- "You better not see it." - She looked me up and down and also asked. - "What happened to your dress?"

I was tempted to ask them for help. To explain to them that I came from the future and that I needed to flee from the Hessian but then I thought better of it, it seemed to me that they would not have been more than 17 years old and that they were surely in a worse situation than mine.

I didn't know what to answer so I said the first thing that came to mind:- “The Hessian has given me these clothes. I come from a distant place and I did not have adequate clothing for winter.”

They both opened their eyes wide.

\- "Commander Schaffer has given you that? I have never seen him be so generous to his prisoners of war.”

\- "Pri ... prisoners of war?"

\- “Yes, he must have brought you here to sell you to Paul. He's done it a couple of times already.” - The girl spoke to me in a low and nervous tone, I supposed she didn't want to scare me with her words. - "But it is the first time that I see him trying to defend one of the women he brings."

I wasn't too surprised to find out about the shady deals the Hessian was involved in, but the very little consideration I had for him disappeared in an instant. If I wanted to survive and go home, I had to swallow my fear and be more cunning than him.

"He hasn't brought me here to sell me."

The young woman gave me a pity smile and answered:

\- "I know it is hard, but after a while you will realize that it is better to be here than to starve outside." - And turning she kept spying through the door.

After a minute that seemed like an eternity to me, she finally said:

-"It’s over."

I almost ran out of the room. I wanted to leave that place immediately but stopped short when I saw the huge pool of blood on the floor that some servants hurried to clean with rags and buckets of already reddish water. The music had started playing again and everyone was behaving as if a murder had not taken place there. A familiar voice called me:

\- "Come, come, drink with me."

It was the Hessian; his face was lit with a happy expression and his laugh was very lively. It was the first time I had seen him smile. He was sitting at a table drinking and chatting with two women and as I approached, he gestured one of them to leave. I sat down in her place and he put a cup full to the top of brandy in front of me.

\- "You can't even begin to imagine how much I missed this."

I looked at him incredulously. Did he miss massacring a person so much?

\- “I thought that being the Headless Horseman you dedicated yourself precisely to that. To behead unsuspecting innocents in the woods.” - I said sarcastically.

The Hessian looked at me still smiling.

\- “I hardly murdered a handful being a ghost. Most passed out as soon as they saw me. It is no fun killing someone who is unconscious.”

\- “So that is why you didn't kill me before? Because I passed out in the snow?”

The Horseman narrowed his eyes at me.

-"No. You know very well why you're not dead yet. And you better watch the tone you speak to me.”

\- "You said we were going to leave." - I grumbled.

\- "And we will. But now, drink."

The woman sitting on the other side of the Horseman wore a scarlet red dress that highlighted her beautiful olive skin. She rested her delicate face on his shoulder and said:

\- “It has been a long time, Commander Schaffer, since you last visited us. It is good to have you back.”

The Hessian had his eyes fixed on his cup of brandy and barely answered the woman:

\- “Not today, Bella. Today I'm just going to drink.” - He turned his face towards me and when he noticed that I had not tasted a single drop of the liquor he blurted out:

\- "Obey me, drink it."

-"I do not want." - I said pushing the cup away.

The woman gave me a warning sign with her incredulous face, but it was too late.

-"You do not want?" - With a wicked smile the Hessian took the cup and spilled all its content on me. The cold liquid dripped down soaking into my hair and clothes. Without a word he filled the cup again and set it in front of me.

-"Drink it."

The liquid burned my throat, but gulp after gulp it warmed me up. The Hessian did not speak to me anymore and only dedicated himself to drinking and staring vacantly into his cup. When I was already in my third cup of brandy the Horseman finally dropped his head on the table, passing out from the alcohol. The woman quickly took him by the arm trying to lead him to one of the rooms.

-"Leave him alone." - I say to her.

At the time I was horrified at the idea of being alone in a place like this. At least with the Horseman I felt ironically protected. At least together we shared a goal, to gather the book and the stone. At least he knew that I didn't belong on this timeline. At least ... a sharp feeling shot through my chest at the thought of the Hessian together with that woman. I swallowed and drowned that spark of jealousy immediately.

\- “The Commander is my client. Get yours.” - She grumbled dragging the Horseman who barely managed to stay on his feet.

\- "He and I have an unfinished business." - I said pulling him by the other arm and taking him back to the table.

\- "I do not understand why the Commander should care about the affairs of a prostitute." - She replied. - “But as you like. There will be other opportunities.”

She walked away while I tried to wake up the Hessian. I slapped his on the face and on the back, but it was no use. I asked one of the girls for a saucepan of water and I emptied it over him, savouring silently my sweet revenge. The Hessian finally woke up screaming.

\- " _Verdammt, der Stein_!"

Then he took me by the shoulders and planted a kiss on my lips. It was only a few seconds, but the taste of liquor in his mouth and his sweet breath left me petrified. For a very brief moment when I looked into his eyes, I felt that I never wanted to leave him. The Hessian, with his face still tilted towards mine was smiling. But it was a strange smile; nervous, as if he had discovered something that still did not convince him.

\- " _Es ... Es tut mir Leid_." - He said quickly. - "I didn't think alcohol was going to affect me that much."

He put his arm around my shoulders and guided me to the exit.

\- "I still don't have shoes." - I managed to say before I opened the door. The Horseman looked at my bare feet and called Bella, the scarlet dress woman.

\- "I think that in the end we will do business you and me." - He said.

I ended up wearing booties that fit me perfectly. The Hessian was riding his steed while I was behind on a donkey. I couldn't help but ask him:

\- "How come your horse travelled with us too?"

\- “Daredevil and I share a special connection. He has accompanied me in life and in death.”

I was silent, analyzing the Horseman's response. Maybe he was much more human than I thought. I was enraptured looking at the soft flutter of his cape in the wind. The few snowflakes that accumulated on his broad shoulders. Black hair standing out against the whiteness of winter. The alcohol and the slow wobble of my mount finally beat me and with a thud I fell on the snow. The frightened donkey trotted out and the Hessian rushed down, approaching me. After making sure I was not hurt, he said sarcastically:

\- “At least I'm not the only drunk here. I was paying attention to you and I thought you handled that alcohol very well.”

I blushed immediately. So he had been watching me all along ...

The Horseman helped me to my feet and called the donkey back with a whistle.

\- "Stay awake and be more careful." - He said as he put me back on the saddle. - "A blizzard will come soon."


	5. Chapter 5

\- "A blizzard will come soon."

I avoided looking at him for the rest of the way, thinking about what it would feel like. To die, to wander like a ghost for centuries and then go back in time just a day before his death would take place. Was it painful? 200 years in the solitude of the woods, riding from one place to another without rest. It would have been his punishment for the vices to which he dedicated himself. However, here he was again, alive and in my opinion without feeling any remorse.

We finally stopped. We had reached the place where we had been thrown. I recognized the woods in the distance. The sun was beginning to set and the faint rays lighted up the footprints in the snow.

\- "Do you remember the exact place where you fell?"

\- "I think it was around here." - I lied while taking a few steps pretending to look closely. I inadvertently touched the palm of my right hand, the skin still stinging but it didn't seem like it was going to leave any scar. The Horseman walked closely but he wasn’t precisely looking at the snow but rather he was looking at me.

\- "What is your name?" - He asked suddenly.

\- "Alice".

\- "Alice". - He repeated slowly. "Don't you want to go back to your time, Alice?" The 21st century is a wonderful time to be alive. "

I thought about his words. In the irony of the situation. In a way my problems weren't that different here in the past. In both the 21st and 18th centuries I had managed to be bent to the will of two men. In both centuries I felt the urge to flee, in both centuries I felt that I didn't fit in anywhere.

\- "And if I find the stone, will you know how to send me back to the future?" - I asked.

The Hessian took a deep, crestfallen breath.

\- "We can try".

After almost half an hour circling around with my eyes fixed on the snow I started to worry. How long would the Hessian's patience last? The last rays of the sun were overshadowed by thick clouds and a cold wind whipped our bodies. The Hessian kicked the snow in frustration.

"It is impossible!" He growled under his breath.

Something caught my attention, the glare of several lanterns was moving towards us, I could make out the figures of at least a dozen men and their muffled voices could be heard very faintly. The alarmed Hessian took me with him to his horse and, taking the reins, went into the forest. His face was contorted with a panicked grimace. A deep wrinkle was drawn between his eyebrows and he was breathing frantically.

\- "What's going on?" - I asked amazed. I never would have imagined seeing him that way.

\- "Shh, they can hear you." He whispered.

The night hung over us and the expected blizzard started. The snow fell and was blown by an icy wind; the temperature plummeted, and visibility was worsening. The Horseman managed to reach a hidden cave in the heart of the woods. At first, I thought it was the same one where it all started, but this one was tiny, and you had to crawl on all fours to get inside it. Inside the space was small and we could only sit. The Horseman took several things from Daredevil's mount and brought them with him, among them I could see the book. Finally!

I tried to hide my emotion, but it wasn't necessary since the Hessian was busy lighting a tiny oil lamp. I cleared my throat nervously, the dim light illuminating the Hessian's pale features and he fixed his eyes on me.

\- "I know you hate questions, but can I know what is happening?"

\- “Those were Americans troops, as you would guess I do not have much interest in crossing them. Especially during these days. "

\- "They were the ones who murdered you, right?"

The Horseman tried to give me a fake smile but he stopped halfway. His expression was grim and distant, he lowered his head and looked at the ground.

"Why did you return precisely to this day?" - I asked. - "Why didn't you choose another date?"

\- "There are certain rules." -He answered. - “The memories I had of my life were lost after two centuries, I was only able to remember the last hours of life, over and over again. I remembered the shot that killed Daredevil. I remembered that little girl and the dry snap of a branch breaking. I remembered the pain of a sword stuck between my ribs ... the taste of blood in my mouth ... "

His voice cracked, at that moment he looked up and I had to cover my mouth with my hands moved by his tears.

“The sting… the burning sting and the sudden choke that I felt when my head was cut off. It was hellish to see my own decapitated body lying on the ground and feel for a few seconds the icy blow that my head gave against the snow.”

I approached him and with my fingers I wiped his tears away, he seemed not to be able to contain himself anymore and he hugged me tight, burying his face in my hair. I didn't know what else I could do so I hugged him back. His body spasmed slightly and his crying continued to soak my shoulder. He calmed down little by little at the same time that the vapor of our breath became more and more dense. I was patting him on the back and couldn't help but inhale his scent of damp earth and brandy.

\- "Commander." - I whispered in his ear when his breathing had calmed so much that I thought he had fallen asleep.

\- "Klaus." - He said sitting up. - "Call me Klaus."

\- "Klaus." - I repeated, fixing my eyes on his.

An uncomfortable silence took over the small space and then it was I who took his face and kissed him. I thought my heart was jumping out of my chest as I felt Klaus's thin lips trying to follow mine. I watched as he closed his blue eyes and pulled me close with his strong arms. The heat of his body was intoxicating and at that moment I stopped feeling cold. It was a rather awkward and timid kiss. His sharp teeth tickled me when biting my mouth and I couldn't help but laugh. It was glorious, for an eternity I had not felt a moment of peace, a moment in which I could smile naturally. A brief moment of calm. He smiled back at me and rested his flushed forehead against mine.

\- "Who did that to you?" - He asked while his thumb brushed against the bluish bruises around my mouth.

I looked at him incredulously. Did he really dare to ask about my contusions? My anger must had immediately showed in my face because then he said:

\- "It was not me. I noticed the bruises from the beginning, I noticed them while you first read the spell.”

\- "Forgive me!" - I replied with a shrill voice. How could he be so insolent? I used all my strength to avoid slapping him and just blurted out:

\- "I also have many marks done by you; do you want to see them?"

\- "No. I know exactly each one of the bruises that I caused. "

Klaus swallowed hard, brought his hands close to mine and caressed the marks left by the rope on my wrists. I pulled away from him and laid on the frozen ground giving my back to him.

\- “I want to get away from you, monster. I want to go back."

\- "Go back to him?" – he asked in a low voice.

I let a few seconds pass as I swallowed a lump that burned my throat.

\- "No. Never again. ”- I answered dryly.

\- “You were running away right? It is not very common to see vehicles on the road to Sleepy Hollow. It is not remarkably busy, especially at that time of the evening. Do you have family there? "

I turned my face curiously. It was so strange; a being from another time, technically from another world, speaking so naturally of the traffic of a little village as small as Sleepy Hollow.

\- “No, I got lost. I was going to Boston. "

Klaus couldn't help laughing. - “What a way to get lost. Didn't you have a map? "

"No, I didn't want to turn on my phone ..." -I let out a sad smile. "I was afraid Dean would call ..."

I raised my eyes sheepishly to him.

"Surely now you would not be afraid." – He whispered as he laid next to me. - “The world has changed so much Alice, when I was a child I barely learned to read and write, there were few who fought beyond their possibilities. I followed in my father's footsteps and an alien war brought me to the new world. I have existed for many years, but lived, only few. Don't let that happen to you Alice, don't be afraid to live your life.”

The storm was raging outside and a freezing cold sneaked into our shelter. I adjusted my thick cape better and looked at him. He had his eyes open, fixed into the cave ceiling.

\- "Are you happy now being a human and back in your time?"

Klaus blinked a few times thinking.

\- “It is good to feel clearly again. When I was a ghost, I noticed everything, but it was like seeing the world through smoked glass. My senses were anesthetized and for the first few years I was desperate at the idea of never have feelings or desires like before. - He put his eyes on me.

\- “But no, this is not my timeline Alice. Not after having gone through so many years and seeing how entire families were born and dying. To see other battles claiming the lives of young men who I had seen been born and grow up. I could see how Sleepy Hollow was developing. Part of my woods were destroyed to build a highway. During that time there were a few unexplained deaths ... "-

Klaus seemed a little more enthusiastic.

\- "Later I found out that I was part of the folklore of the village, a place that I had never paid attention to in life." - He let out a laugh. “I love Halloween; it was the only day that I could walk the streets in peace without people being terrified.”

I also laughed imagining him cool as a cucumber among a crowd of other Headless Horsemen in disguise.

\- “So that's what you want the stone for? Do you want to go back to 2017?”

\- "First I must understand how it works."

Klaus straightened up and reached out to take the book, I sat next to him as he turned the worn pages. I looked closely at the words written in black ink:

**Somnium chimaeram visum est hominis. Qui mortuus est sicut somnus iumentorum. Tantum tempus desideria cognoscit et somniorum. Patrem tuum, tempus et vita in manibus habentur.**

Klaus's voice was tremulous as he uttered the enchantment. For a moment I raised my hands to my chest in panic at the thought that the stone I still kept hidden would start to shine and burn again but nothing happened. I glanced at Klaus, thinking he had noticed my sudden movement, but he was still absorbed in the book. Could I really trust him?

\- “I thought you already knew how it worked. You take the stone, you say that phrase and that's it.”

\- "It's not that simple." - He replied. "That cave where I found the book used to belong to a witch ... I'm still not sure, but I had the feeling of having been there before ..."

Klaus sighed and leaned his back against the stone wall, looking thoughtfully at the light from the lamp.

\- “There is a space in my existence in which I had no consciousness or will of my own. The space between the day of my death and several years later… During that time, I only heard the voice of a woman…”

He shook his head as if to ward it off from a bad memory and continued:

\- "It took me a year to read all those books and to discover that the only possibility I had of recovering my body was traveling back in time."

The Hessian looked at me and he immediately realized the question that was stuck in my throat.

\- “Yes, even without a head I could still see, smell and hear. I just couldn’t speak.”

\- "And that's where I come in." - I said.

\- "More than that." - He said taking the book and showing me a note written in the same ink, but in English.

**_I have hidden the Sun Citrine from wicked eyes in plain sight. Only the Hekate servers will have enough light in their gaze to see it and only they will be able to use its power at will._ **

\- “I tried many times. I caught anyone who passed through the woods, but it was useless. After several years I gave up. "

Impressed, I took the book in my hands and read the same scrawled note over and over.

\- "What does it mean to be a Hekate server?" – I asked.

\- “I don't know, but the day I found you, I could smell your scent in the distance. It is the same one that invaded that cave. It is the same one that impregnates that book.”

I raised an eyebrow and shot him a suspicious look as I sniffed the book discreetly. It smelled of old paper and withered herbs. Marvellous…

I remembered how at the moment of pronouncing that incantation I felt like that little stone was calling me, how suddenly I felt so attracted to it. I bit my lip worried. Should I confess to Klaus that I had been carrying the stone all this time? That I played dumb and tricked him long enough so I could figure out where the book was? No, I still didn't trust him, or the reaction he might have. I decided to wait a little longer before deciding what to do.

“Klaus, in that place, in the tavern; the women were convinced that I was going to be sold…”

Klaus cut me off mid-sentence.

\- “I'm a bastard, Alice. I have committed terrible acts and if I am honest I may only regret half of them; but I have had a worse punishment than death itself and now that I have the opportunity to be free I want to be away from the war, I want to live the life that was always denied to me. I want to fly on an airplane.”

I could not help but snore with laughter.

\- "Do you want to fly in a plane?" - I asked smiling.

Klaus blushed a little.

-“I have heard that you can get to Frankfurt in just eight hours. Do you know how long it took me to get to America by sea? Almost three months!"

"Yes, it must be incredible. I have never been in a plane. " - I said blushing as well. - "Or on a sailing ship..."

At that moment my stomach let out a deep, long roar. I covered my abdomen with my hands embarrassed.

-"Sorry."

Klaus squatted out of the cave and came back a minute later with a small cornbread wrapped in a cloth.

-"Eat." - He told me, offering me the whole bread.

\- "We can share it." - I said as I split it in half and gave a part to him.

Klaus shook his head and declined my offer.

\- “I already took care of that while you were sleeping. It was one of the things I longed for the most, to feel the taste of food.”

He laid down on the ground again while I chewed on the dry bread and took small sips of water from his canteen.

\- "What else did you miss?" I asked him absent-mindedly before I uneasily recalled the contact of his pale fingers on my bare legs.

He didn't reply immediately, letting out a slow, weary exhalation.

\- "I don't think you want to know." - He said in a low voice.

I figured that it must have been midnight, and the storm seemed to slow down at times, then worsen hour after hour. I settled next to the Horseman. The width of the cave hardly allowed us to lie next to each other, a condition that benefited us since at least we could share the heat of our bodies. A couple of minutes passed in silence and I entertained myself by staring at the shadows cast by the light on Klaus's black armour. He lay on his back with his eyes closed, breathing calmly. I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild, I longed to feel his lips on my skin, touch his hands and kiss his forehead. I closed my eyes and remembered his face close to mine, his strong and hard chest pressing against my body. His warm mouth on my neck. That memory gave me goosebumps. How I longed to feel the warmth of his mouth again, the smell of damp earth on his skin!

\- "Good night, Hessian." - I whispered with a silly smile.

I shrunk into a fetal position and closed my eyes. Two seconds later I felt his arm hugging my waist. His breath on the back of my neck, his nose between my hairs.

\- "What are you doing?" - I asked surprised.

\- "We will freeze to death otherwise."

I knew he was lying but I had no urgency to resist. Turning around, I buried my face in his chest and wrapped my arms around his torso.

-"I'm cold." I whispered, and Klaus pressed his body against mine.

_-“Gute Nacht, Alice.”_

I slept soundly until the dim light of dawn illuminated the tiny cave.


	6. Chapter 6

The soft light of dawn timidly illuminated the cave. At first it took me a while to realize where I was, but the weight of Klaus's arm on my body made me remember what happened the day before. He was still sound asleep, his expression was calm, his soft lids covered his icy eyes and ended in long black lashes. Black like the color of his hair; at that moment I noticed the gray hairs scattered among his mop of dark hair. I tried to guess his age, but after a few seconds it seemed silly, he had existed for more than two centuries, the exact number of his age lost any importance.

I got up quietly, careful not to wake him, and took the book. This one was full of notes, diagrams, and symbols. Many texts were in Latin and others were in English, but all seemed to be written with the same slanted and tight handwriting. I came to the page where the spell was titled simply: **HYMNUS KRONUS.**

There were no other indications that could instruct me further. I was tempted to chant the incantation out loud and beg for it to work, but the memory of Klaus's embrace stopped me. I mentally kicked myself for being unable to escape at that very moment and realized that the Hessian had caught me with a tether much stronger than its rope.

I kept looking through the book until I reached the last page where an illustration, the only one done in color, made me open my eyes in surprise.

Drawn there with a detailed design was the dagger that I had found in Klaus's sack the day before, the green eyes of the serpent stared back at me and I noticed the tiny engraving on the blade.

**H . E. K. A. T. E.**

My mind was working thousand miles an hour trying to remember the information Klaus had shared last night.

\- "What does it mean to be a servant of Hekate?" - I remembered perfectly having asked him.

 ** _\- "I don't know ..."_** \- Liar.

I automatically started searching Klaus's sack until I found it; the lacquered box, I carefully took the dagger and this time I looked at it carefully. The first time, due to the low light in the room, I hadn't noticed the small letters etched into the gleaming blade of the dagger. I felt my face burn with anger and humiliation. The Hessian knew much more than what he had told me and all that, his crying, his false sympathy, his stupid kisses… It was all a trap, a trick to keep me close to him.

I remembered the note written next to the enchantment: _Only a servant of Hekate can use its power at will_. He just wanted to keep me around and use me. Moron. I am a complete moron.

I glared at the sleeping man and left the cave. Daredevil was still standing right next to the entrance waiting for his master. When he saw me he snorted and tapped the ground with his hooves.

\- "I'm not happy to see you either. Beasts always get along each other. " - I whispered through my teeth giving him a look of rage as I walked away.

The woods were absolutely silent and after walking for a few minutes I stopped in a clearing. I was ready. Kneeling down, I opened the book and taking the stone in one hand and the dagger in the other I took a deep breath. My brittle voice drowned out the resentment that burned in my chest.

**_-“ Somnium chimaeram visum est hominis. Qui mortuus est..”_ **

The sudden noise of several boots on the snow stopped me immediately. Several muskets were pointed at my face, soldiers dressed in blue uniforms approached at a rapid pace and I did not have time to get up.

\- "Name and intentions!" - Shouted the highest ranking soldier as he snatched the book from my hands. It took a single glance to order his men to take me. - "Witchcraft."

They tied my hands and dragged me to a cart, throwing me next to the pigs. At the same time that the men were preparing to continue the way, I saw how the older soldier began to tear the book apart, tearing one page after another. Suddenly a dark and swift shadow came out of nowhere. The soldiers did not have time to shoot; blood stained the white snow and decapitated bodies fell with a thud. Klaus's tall figure moved with astonishing speed, wielding his sword and ax with such skill that it almost seemed like a dance. Some soldiers managed to escape into the forest, the sound of their boots moving away and losing themselves in the distance. Klaus came to me and untied the ropes.

\- “Alice! Have they hurt you? "

I didn't stop to look at him, I pushed him and jumped off the wagon running to where the book was half buried in the snow and with most of its pages still attached. I looked for the spell in fear, thinking it was lost, but there it was still intact. I let out a sigh and hugged the book in relief.

I heard Klaus's slow footsteps behind me and I looked at the ground, seeing the dagger glistening in the sunlight. I took it and turned to Klaus pointing it at him.

-"Get back!" - I yelled. - “What do you want from me, Hessian? The stone? Do you want to use me? Power, that's what you wanted all along, right? "

Klaus opened his mouth in surprise when he saw me brandishing the dagger and even more when he realized the stone that I kept inside my fist.

 _"Du hast mich angelogen ..."_ \- He said while his stunned expression was turning into one of anger. He squinted his eyes staring at me, his pointed teeth almost gnashing and the color drained from his face, leaving him even paler than he normally was. He advanced towards me without hesitation and with a slap of his hand he took the dagger from me, throwing it aside. He took my face tightly and pulled it violently towards his, whispering harshly:

-"A snake. That's all you are, a slithering, venomous serpent only thinking of yourself. "

In that instant and knowing that perhaps I could be signing my death sentence, I spat in his face. Klaus released me and I took the opportunity to punch him in the face. He fell to his knees putting his hands to his nose as I started to run. I didn't take more than three steps when Klaus's gloved hand grabbed my ankle and knocked me flat on my face in the snow. I tried to kick him, but he managed to hold me with one hand while with the other he tried to stop the bleeding that began to flow from his nose.

 _\- “Hör auf, Idiot!_ STOP!"

Finally he let go of me and put a hand in the air in surrender as he continued to control the blood that was already beginning to drip onto his armor. His breathing was ragged, he looked down at his hand examining the bright blood that contrasted against his black leather gauntlets. I was stunned to hear him chuckling.

\- "You are insane." - I said.

“Look at me, I'm bleeding! I haven't experienced pain in a long time, Alice. "

I looked at him with disgust and only managed to say:

\- “You are insane. You are a sick psychopath. "

I turned and wanted to walk away, but then I remembered the dagger that had fallen to the ground. I approached it, but when I was crouching down to pick it up I heard the clang of Klaus's sword being drawn. He stood in front of me lowering his sword.

\- "I will not let you go." - He said as he took the dagger. - “You want it, don't you? Well, I want the stone and the book, and I want the person who has the power to control both. "

\- "Control?" - I laughed at him sarcastically. - “If I could control something in my fucking life I wouldn't be here right now! I wouldn't be in the middle of a fucking forest surrounded by corpses! I wouldn't be sleeping next to a fucking butcher! "

My screams began to mix with sobs. I fell to my knees defeated and threw the stone at Klaus.

\- "Take it and leave me alone!"

Klaus knelt in front of me and offered me the dagger.

\- "It's yours." - He said in a low voice. - “But this time I'm not going to let your tears convince me, Alice. Not your tears or your fake kisses. "

He got up taking the stone and put it in his pocket.

\- "No more lies Alice." - He said as he took a handful of snow and used it to wipe the dried blood that had remained on his face.

I didn't believe what I was hearing. Did he call me a liar? He?!

\- "You dare to say that I lie?" - I snapped. “Who has lied about the dagger? Who? Who has been seducing me to convince me to help him? "

Klaus snorted a laugh and turned his gaze to me.

\- "Seduce you? What kind of fantasies you have in your head! You were the one who kissed me back there in the cave. "

I immediately felt the blood rush to my cheeks and burn my skin. Idiot, I wanted the earth to swallow me at that moment. Klaus noticed my frustration and walked over to me.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to let you fuck with my brain anymore. Hope you at least understand the risk I took by coming to save your ass. If any of those Americans were agile enough… ”- Klaus made the gesture of cutting his neck with a finger. "It would all be over for me."

I gulped thinking he was right. If it hadn't been for him, I'd be waiting my turn to be hanged as a witch in Sleepy Hollow´s square right now.

\- "It would be over for me too, Klaus." - I said crestfallen. - “I didn't want to lie to you, but I couldn't trust you completely. Then I saw the drawing of the dagger in the book ... "

\- "I do not know what it means." - He said interrupting me. - “I don't know what use that weapon have, but as far as I can understand, it has no function in this enchantment. Excuse me if at that time I did not want to delve into that matter, but I preferred to be as practical and concise as possible. "

His voice was dry and direct, with a bit of sarcasm sprinkling there and there.

\- "Practical and concise?" - I asked acidly. - “You had enough time to tell me that you wanted to fly to Frankfurt on a plane. You could have saved those details and mentioned the dagger! "

It was Klaus's turn to blush.

\- "You are right." - He said simply.

It is impossible to argue with someone like him. I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

\- “As you wish… Okay, Klaus, do you really want to go to the future? Come on, give me the stone and let's get this over with. "

Klaus threw his head back and crossed his arms.

\- "Regarding that .. I also forgot to mention that the spell only works at night."

I covered my face with my hands and let out an impatient breath.

\- "Anything else I should know?"

-"Yes. Never go away from me again, Alice. ”- He said as he walked towards his horse that was waiting patiently for him.

-"Where are you going?" - I asked, standing up.

\- “We are going back to the cave. I don't want to be here another minute with that troop of soldiers hanging around. "

\- “I can't go back there. I'm hungry. Why don't we go back to the tavern? "

\- “Because today at noon a battle will break out in Sleepy Hollow. That tavern is attended by many officers of the British Army. Most of the women there will be killed. "

\- “Were you there when it happened?

\- “I lost all my men there. That day was the first time I had to flee from a battle ... "

Klaus was gently stroking Daredevil's mane with a blank stare. I stood next to him and tried to bring my hand to the neck of the steed, but he reacted with a shake of the head and an angry whinny. Klaus came out of his reverie and smiling slightly he took my hand and placed it on Daredevil's forehead while whispering in his ear:

\- _“Sie ist nett, Ich mag sie gern. Sei geduldig mit ihr bitte. "_

When he pulled his hand away I thought the horse was going to protest, but he stayed still and allowed me to pet him. I couldn't help but smile.

\- “What did you tell him? - I asked with interest.

\- "To be patient with you for a few more hours, soon we will get rid of you."

\- "And I of you." - I replied while scratching Daredevil behind the ears.

\- "Why don't you go look in the cart and see if you find something to eat?

I nodded and headed towards the abandoned wagon. The pigs were still there, feeding on the contents of large sacks full of corn and flour. I was walking carefully avoiding stepping on the bloodstains on the floor and slipping a bit when out of the corner of my eye I could see a childish face peering at me from behind a tree. The figure disappeared in just a second, I blinked several times and convinced myself that I had imagined it. It didn't take long for me to find a few apples, dried meat, bread, and a bottle of wine. I proudly walked towards Klaus who was watching me from a distance.

\- "You can no longer complain." - He told me. - "Let's go."

**. . .**

If I closed his eyes and listened carefully I was able to hear the aftermath of the battle: the sound of distant gunshots, the screams of dying men, women cries...

Little by little the sky was falling overcast and darkness was taking over the cave. The tart taste of the wine still lingered in my mouth. I had spent most of the afternoon sipping from the bottle and avoiding to cross any word with Klaus.

He was sitting chewing on a piece of bread and also taking big gulps from the nearly empty bottle. He looked thoughtful and concerned.

I felt restless, self-aware of my every move, anxiety had taken hold of me, the idea of having to share that small space with Klaus made me desperate, I trembled every time I felt his frozen gaze on me, I wanted to be away from him but at the same time I couldn't help but want to feel his touch, hear his voice ... I was going crazy counting the minutes until the sun finally set on the horizon.

\- "Alice."

I shuddered a bit when I heard Klaus's husky voice. I turned my eyes to him slowly trying to hide the pleasure I felt at hearing my name being spoken by him.

\- "Hmm?"

\- “I understand that once we go back to 2017, you will never want to see me again. I understand that you hate me. I tend to have that effect on people. "

\- "I don't hate you, Klaus ... I'm not afraid of you either ..." - I swallowed hard and the next words I spoke escaped from my chest. - "What happened yesterday ... I didn't lie ... That kiss was real ..."

Klaus's dumbfounded look was enough to make me want to sink my head between my legs in shame. He approached me piercing me with his eyes.

\- "Don't play with me, Alice"

God, why was it so hard for him to believe me? Am I sending the right signals? Didn't he realize how difficult it was for me to accept that… accept that…

"It is true…"

The flame in my heart was already so strong that it was burning me inside. It burned my throat, it came out through the pores of my skin, and it burned my face, but then Klaus's hands caressed my cheeks and it was as if a balm calmed that uncontrollable desire. He brought his wet lips to mine and kissed me in an eager, deep and hungry way. His tongue against mine seemed to claim the long, dark years into which his existence had sunk. I brought a hand to the back of his neck and tangled my fingers in his hair, he moved his mouth kissing my face, slowly moving down to my neck. My stomach churned with desire as I felt Klaus's sharp teeth brush almost imperceptibly against my skin and I felt the world I knew completely melt away as I felt Klaus's warm breath whisper in my ear:

\- “To hell with time travel. I would burn that book and Sleepy Hollow with it if I could stay with you always. "

I let myself be carried away by my impulses, I let him sit me on his lap and I wrapped my legs around his waist, totally absorbed in his kiss, enjoying the taste of the wine that was still in his mouth ...

I saw her ... I saw her again, that blonde figure wrapped in a puffy pink dress was looking at us from the cave entrance.

\- “Wait, Klaus. Klaus! "

Klaus turned his face to where I was staring with wild eyes. The sudden realization of what was coming hit him with the force of a high-speed train. He stood petrified watching the unmistakable form of a squad of armed soldiers being guided by the little girl's signs in the distance.

\- "Come on, run, RUN!" - I screamed while pulling him trying to make him react.

I took the book and the dagger and ran after Klaus. As I mounted with him on Daredevil, I glanced at the girl who was giving us an expression of deep hatred, thirsty of revenge. I was very surprised to see so much resentment in a child who seemed to be no more than 8 years old. “ _I remembered that little girl and the dry snap of a branch breaking_ ” It is her, it is the same girl that Klaus had mentioned, everything was happening again!

I closed my eyes, praying that we could escape into the gathering darkness of the approaching twilight, but then I heard it _, "the shot that killed Daredevil."_ My legs were trapped under the steed's heavy body as he was contorting in pain. Klaus helped me out from under him and with wet eyes he whispered:

_\- "Wir werden uns im Jenseits sehen, mein Freund"_

Klaus took my hand and together we ran into the trees, but then a sharp pain in my shoulder made me cry out and drop to my knees. I could intensely feel the hot blood staining my gray shirt, Klaus's distressed eyes as he realized I was shot. The pain was unbearable but I manage to stagger to my feet, trying to dodge the bullets fired by the soldiers, but I was not fast enough, those seconds were enough for the Americans to reach us.

\- "Run away." - It was the only thing that Klaus managed to say before he launched into battle with a war cry.

One after another, young soldiers faced the Hessian demon who at that moment was fighting unstoppably, knowing perhaps that there was no choice but to surrender to an inescapable fate. No. I wasn't going to be able to see how Klaus was executed. I looked beside me at a headless body that was still holding a sword in its hand. I didn't hesitate, I didn't think, I didn't even care about the stabbing pain in my shoulder as I raised the sword, I couldn't let him be killed. I couldn't condemn him to that again.

I raised the sword and pounced on a soldier who was attacking Klaus at that moment, I buried with all my strength the weight of the blade in the neck of that thin man, my hands were shaking and I realized that I had started to cry. His blood splattered my face and then in the midst of all that alienation I could see with horror where the soldier I had just killed had driven his sword.

\- "GOD NO!

_“I remembered the pain of a sword stuck between my ribs ... the taste of blood in my mouth ... "_

\- "No, no, Klaus, please, please ..." - I knelt in front of him, begging him to live, I was not able to discern what was happening around me, I was only able to cry, my voice turned into an unintelligible screech. Klaus was breathing heavily, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, drowning in his own blood. Trembling, he brought his hand to mine and took it weakly, leaving the yellow stone in it.

\- "Go back home, Alice. _Ich versuchte es. Vergib mir_. "

I lived that moment second by second as if it were in slow motion, the flash of Klaus's sword falling violently on his pale neck, his blood scattered on the ground ...

_“It was hellish to see my own decapitated body lying on the ground and feel for a few seconds the icy blow that my head gave against the snow.”_

I reacted immediately, stopped his head before it touched the ground and held it in my hands, I could not get Klaus's words out of my mind, if I could not prevent his death, at least I would not allow him to have to suffer that icy blow during his last moments of awareness. His cold eyes were still fixed on mine and I could see how life slipped away second by second.

-"Forgive me." - I sobbed. - "Forgive me, Klaus."

The soldiers looked at me in shock, perhaps frightened to see such a scene, a screaming woman, covered in blood, holding the Hessian's head. They looked at each other, undecided as to what actions to take. They finally decided to tie me up and put me aside while they excavated the grave that would be Klaus's. The death of the Hessian Commander Herr Schaffer would not go unnoticed by his superiors and they needed a reminder to demonstrate their might against foreign troops invading their lands.

My tears dried little by little at the same time that the earth was covering the corpse of the Horseman, in my fist I still held the stone that had caused so much pain. I squeezed it hard, wounding my hand, but neither that pain nor the pain in my shoulder were enough to appease that wound I felt in my soul.

Among the trees that girl was approaching, I looked at her with hatred as I saw her stooping to pick up something from the ground, I immediately recognized the shine of the dagger. The wicked smile she gave me made my blood run cold.

\- “Hey little brat, this is not place for you! They've already paid you, get out! "

The soldier turned and sat down on a rock next to me as he was in charge of watching over me. He let out a bored sigh as he watched his companions throw dirt at the grave.

\- "I've never seen someone cry like that before." - He said in a low voice without looking at me.

I looked at him a little taken aback by his sudden statement. I noticed that he was just a teenager, no more than 15 years old. I gulped thinking that surely this boy was recruited against his will. One more pawn in a war of empires. Perhaps the man I had killed was also being forced to lend his life in exchange for a few coins to support his family.

\- "Your mother will cry the same the day you die in battle." - I told.

The boy finally met his gaze with mine, a round and childish face showing a certain curiosity in knowing what a woman dressed in men's clothes was doing in the middle of the woods, accompanying the late Hessian commander.

I didn't have much time left, once the men finished their work burying Klaus, I would be taken to the gallows. Night was falling and I had to do something to be able to flee.

-"What is your name?"

\- "Jonathan."

\- “Do you want to see something incredible Jonathan? Do you see that book? Bring it."

The soldier barely raised an indecisive eyebrow, but got up and brought the book to me anyway.

\- "They have said that you are a witch." - He said while looking at the book that at this point was in very bad condition. - "I have seen witches being executed, but they always seemed to be ordinary women to me."

Seeing the images in the book Jonathan handed it to me with trembling hands and his voice whispered sheepishly :

\- "I don't believe in magic."

\- "I don't believe in magic either, Jonathan." - I said as I tried to turn the pages as fast as my tied hands allowed me.

There they were, glittering words that almost seemed to glow in the dark.

_"Go back home, Alice.”_

I didn't want to go back to the 21st century if he wasn't with me. All I wanted was to see him again, I didn't care how or when. I just wanted to be with him again. Get to know him, share my life with him.

...

 **Somnium chimaeram visum est hominis. Qui mortuus est sicut somnus iumentorum. Tantum tempus desideria cognoscit et somniorum. Patrem tuum, tempus et vita in manibus habentur** **.**

I closed my eyes tightly, remembering Klaus's face, his teasing smile, his defiant attitude ...

Slowly I opened my eyes, everything was still the same. Young Jonathan was watching me expectantly. The soldiers had finished burying the Horseman and were hammering his sword into the ground as a marker. I turned my head looking around me, feeling desperation starting to take hold of me, but then a familiar sound began to buzz in my ears.

Tick, tock.

The darkness fell like a heavy blanket over the forest, the lanterns of the soldiers were going out and the last thing I saw were the huge black eyes of young Jonathan staring at me in terror.

* * *

**Translations: **

_Du hast mich angelogen :_ **_You lied to me._ **

_Hör auf, Idiot_! : **_Stop you idiot!_**

 _Sie ist nett, Ich mag sie gern. Sei geduldig mit ihr bitte :_ **_She is nice, I like her a lot. Please be patient with her._ **

_Wir werden uns im Jenseits sehen, mein Freund :_ **_We will see each other in the afterlife, my friend._ **

_Ich versuchte es. Vergib mir : **I tried. Forgive me.**_


	7. Chapter 7

This time a soft layer of damp earth and dead leaves cushioned the violent blow with which I was thrown into the middle of the woods. The ropes barely let me hold the book, and this time I chose to protect the stone and the grimoire at the cost of smashing my face against the ground. As I could I turned my back to look at the site I had arrived to, I recognized a few mounds and rocks here and there, some trees looked familiar. I tried with difficulty to stand up but was only able to sit up. Slowly my adrenaline subsided and the stabbing pain in my shoulder made my teeth grind, then I heard them: hesitant footsteps behind me. I snapped my head around and widened my eyes as I saw the scene unfolding before me.

The first thing that caught my attention was the immense tree that loomed huge and incomparable over the dense forest of bare trees. I had never seen a tree like that. Its trunk twisted in a spiral and seemed to rise sinisterly to a disproportionate height. Its dead branches looked like claws petrified by time. My eyes lowered until they reached the thick and twisted roots and for some reason, a vestige of affection, of longing came over me, giving a slight respite to the mass of fear, anxiety and anguish that I carried in my chest for what now seemed centuries. The precious instant of lightness was immediately cut off when I noticed the three figures slowly approaching, the tallest of them pointing a weapon at me. I had to restrain myself not to let out a sigh of resignation and impatience.

\- "Don't shoot, please." - I begged out loud.

The man was as taken so aback to see me as I was to see him. His pale hand trembled as he tried to hold the pistol up. I was afraid to say anything else since I realized that this man seemed unable to control his nerves and I was not willing to receive another bullet in my body.

\- “Ichabod, there is no need for weapons. She is a defenseless woman."

The young woman who intervened in my aid put a delicate hand on the man's arm and he lowered his weapon somewhat flushed.

The girl approached me, her long blonde hair framing a kind and innocent face, her rich golden dress denoting her high social position. A hint of curiosity crossed her face as she saw the book. I grabbed it even tighter if I could and felt my knuckles dangerously losing sensation.

\- "We will not harm you." - She said smiling slightly. - “How did you get here? Was it the Horseman who did this to you? "

\- "Katrina, don't go near her!" - Ichabod's trembling voice resounded in the silence of the woods and then I noticed the third person, a young man with short hair dark as coal, his huge black eyes were the same as that soldier who looked at me with fear while reciting the enchantment moments ago. I forced my memory and remembered his name.

\- "Jonathan?" - I asked suddenly. -"It's me. Remember me?"

The boy's eyes widened, and he shook his head sharply from side to side. No, it wasn't him, I noticed small changes in his face, in his movements, he also seemed to be a few inches shorter than I remembered. Then I understood.

-"What year is?" - The three looked at each other surprised. - "Quick! What year is it ?!"

A burst of energy made me try to get to my feet, but the sudden movement also meant a stabbing pain in my shoulder and a new hemorrhage stained even more, the already dirty gray shirt. I groaned in pain and Katrina knelt next to me examining the open wound.

\- "Young Masbath, release this poor woman from her bonds."

The boy hesitated a second, but after ignoring Ichabod's warning look, he went with knife in hand to cut the ropes. Katrina looked at me worriedly and I couldn't help but feel a tremendous gratitude to her.

\- "Thank you, thank you so much." - I whispered hastily as I stood up and awkwardly shook my aching body from the lack of circulation.

\- "1799-" - She said softly, placing her candid eyes on the book. - "November 5, 1799"

\- "Twenty years ..." - I said without realizing it.

The look Katrina gave me was one of absolute understanding. I searched the depths of her black eyes for some valid answer to the maniacal odyssey into which I had been thrown. I was paralyzed, immobilized by the fear of revealing my truth and being branded as insane or on the contrary, to keep silent and losing the opportunity to find an ally in the search for the Hessian. Katrina moved closer to me and in a very low voice she asked:

\- "Is the Sun Citrine safe?"

I was dumbfounded, I opened my mouth to answer her, but I was short of breath. Finally, I mumbled:

-"Yes, Yes. I need help, I have to save him. "

\- "Is the Horseman wreaking havoc on your timeline too?"

-"No! I must save him. I have to save Klaus. "

Katrina arched a brow in confusion and was about to ask more, but the sound of a someone clearing his throat interrupted us.

\- "Ahem." - Ichabod approached us, offended. - “Sorry to interrupt, Miss Van Tassel, but I must remind you that I am in the middle of an investigation. If you allow me, I find it pertinent to be the person who interrogates the lady. "

-"Of course, of course." Katrina's sweet voice seemed to melt the stiffness of Ichabod's steps a bit. - "My apologies, Constable Crane."

Constable Ichabod Crane puffed out his chest and in a fastidious voice turned to me saying:

\- “You have clearly been attacked in the woods. Tell me right now if the culprit is someone from the village or if you were a victim of the Headless Horseman."

I looked at Katrina hoping to see some sign about what I should answer and she said quickly:

\- "The Horseman does not ride during the day, Ichabod."

The man's cheeks turned a deep crimson. - "Katrina, please..."

-"I don’t remember." - I said interrupting him. - “I don't remember how I ended up here. But you mention the Headless Horseman. Please tell me where I can find him. "

Ichabod was looking at me like I was crazy. - “Find him? Most of the people in the village try hard to hide from him. Trying to go looking for him is completely irrational and suicidal. But you're not from Sleepy Hollow, are you? No. The village is so small that Miss Van Tassel and Young Masbath would have recognized you at once." - Ichabod looked at them suspiciously. - “Tell me: who are you? A woman dressed like that, clutching an old and worn book... Who taught you to read? Are you a relative of that wit... of that woman who lives in that cave deep in the woods? You have discerned the name of Young Masbath, I would not be surprised if you were dedicated to certain magical arts and I do not judge you for it, until recently I was an absolute skeptic, but looking at the situation now... "

Ichabod's interrogation had turned into a disjointed speech and in no time his words ceased to make sense. I kept my gaze on him trying not to be rude but little by little my eyes drifted to the huge tree and it was as if a magnet was drawing me to it. With quick steps I reached the base of it and could clearly see the twisted roots that supported a mound of earth and on top of it the sword of Klaus, stuck over his grave. I noticed how the metal had aged, the sharp blade was now rusty and tarnished, the hilt had lost all its splendor and the rubies mounted in the snake's eyes were now dirty and dull. I wanted to get closer and tried to climb the small mound, but when I grabbed the roots my hand was smeared with a warm, thick and sticky liquid. I looked at it in disbelief. “ _What the hell… blood? Is that blood? "_

\- “It is the Tree of the Death. The witch showed us the way. "

Jonathan's voice startled me. I hadn't realized that the three of them had followed me.

\- "Young Masbath, it is not appropriate to discuss the facts of our investigation with a stranger..." - Ichabod's fastidious voice went into a halt when he saw my hand stained with blood after having touched the roots of the tree.

\- "Keep away." - Ichabod ordered as he took an ax that he kept in the saddle of a horse.

I stepped back and waited along with Katrina and Jonathan while Ichabod raised the ax and struck the roots. I made a noise of disgust when I saw how a stream of blood shot out towards his face. To my amazement Ichabod, whom I had prematurely judged to be a prissy and fussy person, continued this horrible task without uttering any further complaint.

Every blow he struck with the ax caused more and more blood to gush from the tree, drenching his clothes. He finally threw the ax aside and continued to tear off pieces of wood that looked more like pieces of meat, it was as if that tree were a living animal, a horrible being emerged from the bowels of hell. My curiosity made me take a few steps forward, just at the moment when Ichabod tore a huge piece of bark that covered a cavity through which a foul odour filtered and then the vision of at least five severed heads, all in different degrees of decomposition made my legs shake. I had to hold onto Katrina to bear such shock. I closed my eyes, but I still continued to see the deformed heads, some with their eyes already eaten by worms, others still retaining the grimace of terror on their swollen and greenish faces.

At that moment I absolutely lost all strength to continue. Slowly I dropped to the ground avoiding at all costs looking up at the tree, however, the smell of rot was impossible to ignore. I didn't feel able to deal with this, I had already committed the unforgivable act of taking a person's life. Suddenly I remembered the eyes of the man whose neck I had stabbed with a sword, his surprised grimace resembling those on the faces of the poor beheaded. The whole weight of the infamous act collapsed on me; whether he was in the middle of a war or not, whether he was a soldier or not, he had been killed by my hand and it was at that precise moment, looking face to face at the terrifying reality of death, I realized that everything was too much for me. I felt filthy, lost, condemned to have to deal with something beyond my power. I understood the seriousness of the matter. Was Klaus really that German soldier who liked brandy and dreamed of flying back to Frankfurt? Or was he really a ruthless monster that tormented innocent people night after night? Had I sacrificed my integrity and my sanity for someone who was capable of such heinous acts?

 _"Go back home, Alice."_ His voice echoed in my head. I covered my face with my hands and stifled a groan.

\- "I can't do it; I can't do it."

Katrina and Jonathan put their hands on my shoulders and tried to calm me down. Ichabod gave me a pitying look and asked Katrina to stay with me while he investigated further. I glanced at him as he climbed up with ease and got in front of the sword.

\- “This ground has been disturbed! The soil is loose! Masbath, bring the shovel! "

I felt a strange sense of déjà vu as I watched him shovel dirt up. Twenty years. Twenty years had passed, but for me it was only a couple of hours. However, the current situation was an exact copy: The light of the lanterns illuminating the upcoming twilight, the same cold rock that soldier Jonathan had sat on years ago, the same feeling of uncertainty... I turned my head towards the other Jonathan, and I saw that he was staring at a point between the roots of the tree. I made an effort to look there and after a minute I notice it. Jonathan's head, the Jonathan who had inadvertently saved my life by returning the book to me, his huge black eyes now devoid of any soul the same as his son's. It was clear to me that I was not the only person in that place who carried a huge grief on my shoulders.

\- "Jonathan." - I called him with a brittle voice over the noise of the shovelling. - "Come here."

And like his father, young Jonathan was soon next to me.

\- "Don’t look there anymore, Jonathan." - I said taking his hand in mine. - "Your father wouldn't want you to remember him like that."

\- "Did you know my father?"

\- “Yes, it was a long time ago, long before you were born. He was a good man, smart. Surely you are as smart as him. "

Jonathan was looking at me with intensity, his eyes got wet but he dried them quickly with his sleeve and with a slight nod he ran to where Ichabod was to help him dig.

\- "He's a good young man." - Katrina said, settling on the rock next to me so she could speak in a low voice. - “It is a pity that now he is an orphan. It's not fair that someone so young has to go through that. "

She let out a sigh and turned to me.

\- "We always thought it was a legend." Katrina whispered, making sure Ichabod and Jonathan were busy enough not to hear her. - “The Sun Citrine, my God!

I assumed that my face revealed my ignorance and incompetence because she raised an eyebrow and asked slowly:

\- "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

In response I offered her the book and she looked at it in wonder.

-"It's ancient! Where did you get it? Ah, here it is! **_Hymnus Kronus_**. My mother used to tell me stories about the few witches who managed to perform this spell. I still not believe it!"

Katrina reread the spell over and over, getting more and more excited, however when she looked at me again her smile faded.

-"I'm sorry." - She said a little embarrassed, giving me the book back. - "I can see that it has not been easy for you."

\- “Katrina, I'll be honest with you, until a couple of days ago I had never heard, even dreamed that time travel was possible. I still understand very little of this.”- I pointed to the book. - "And much less of this." - I said taking the small yellow stone from my pocket.

Seeing the stone, Katrina let out a little scream that was thankfully drowned out by the ruckus Ichabod made with the shovel.

\- "It looks like an ordinary pebble." - She whispered to herself as she turned it between her fingers. -"But still…"

And suddenly she leaned the citrine on my wounded shoulder, saying:

-“ ** _Remedium vulnere, carnis vinctum_**.”

I felt as if fiery embers were rising from my open wound, I stifled a groan of pain and smelled the scent of burning skin. I was grateful that it was only for a second, however, Katrina stood up, her face contorted with pain, holding her swollen, red hand. I watched with horror as small blisters began to appear in the palm of her hand and I quickly pulled the stone that was melting with her skin. She just grunted through her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut trying to control the pain.

\- “Sorry, Katrina. I didn't think it would cause so much damage. " - I said as I took her by her shoulders and made her sit down again. Katrina barely shook her head and covered her blistered hand with a handkerchief.

\- "Thank you." - I continued saying. - “For fixing me. I'm so sorry this happened ... "

I was very nervous, I was worried that Katrina had been so affected by the citrine, I prayed that the burn was not as bad as it seemed.

-"It's my fault. I shouldn't have rushed to use my magic with an object as powerful as the citrine. I'll be fine." - Katrina outlined a weak smile. - "At least now I know that my mother's stories were real."

I let out a breath and sat next to her.

\- "My name is Alice by the way." - I said looking towards where Ichabod was. The excavated dirt already formed a large heap. - “The Headless Horseman, the Hessian, his name is Klaus; It was because of him that I have this stone and the grimoire, he was trying to come back to life, you know? He could no longer bear to live as a ghost, wandering alone in the woods. "

Katrina looked at me without understanding and asked

\- “I thought you met him when he was still alive? Twenty years ago, right? "

\- "Well yes, but the first time I saw him was in 2017. There's where I really come from."

Katrina's jaw dropped and she looked at me apprehensively waiting for my story. I didn't know how to even start explaining the matter to her, but if there was anyone in the world who understood and believed in the situation I was in, that was Katrina Van Tassel. So, I began to tell her about all the troubles I had gone through.

\- "So you decided to come to this timeline, instead of going home." - She said after exhaling a sigh. - “But why now? Why not a day before it happened? Now it's a little late to save his life, right? He's been dead for twenty years! "

\- “I don't know, I didn't think of a specific date, I couldn't think clearly at that time. The citrine brought me to a random date, I guess. "

\- “No, nothing is by chance. The citrine brought you for a reason. You will be very helpful now. And Lord, poor Ichabod needs help. "

We both looked in the direction of the tree where Ichabod was finally emerging from the pit he had dug. I hurried up and reached him, seeing inside the tomb the bare bones of the late Commander Klaus, but something was missing ...

\- "The skull is gone. Taken. That is why the Horseman returns from the grave to take heads till his own is restored."

Ichabod was observing the tomb, trying to discover if the person who had desecrated it had left an object that could help identify him. The light from the lanterns cast long shadows in the darkness of the night. I approached Klaus's sword and plucked the dry roots that enveloped it. With force I pulled it out and held it with my hand with difficulty since it was quite heavy.

\- "Hey, be careful with that, it's not a toy."

I was about to reply, but suddenly an icy wind blew through the forest and the roar of some distant thunder surprised us all. I felt how the earth shook and watched in horror as the roots of the tree opened with a repulsive noise.

He was before me, Klaus. He looked exactly the same as that first time on that lonely road. Daredevil stood on his hind legs as his master drew a sword exactly as the one I was holding and swung it in the air. I was frozen thinking that I should be fleeing for my life since that monster had a sinister aura, very different from the one Klaus had in life. However, there was no need, the Hessian galloped away ignoring us completely. Ichabod's quick movement was what made me react. He ran to his horse and I went after him, not caring about his disapproving expression, I climbed up behind him.

\- “Quick, go!

We went at full gallop trying to catch up with Klaus but Daredevil's speed was supernatural. We finally reached the village and I jumped off the horse before Ichabod brought it to a complete stop and I ran towards the center of the village.

\- "Wait, it's dangerous!"

Ichabod's screams were lost in the roar of the approaching storm. I ran with all my might dragging the sword, hoping that a miracle would happen, hoping that, just as I was able to recognize the citrine among a horde of junk in that cave, I would be able to find Klaus in the immense darkness of the town. It was not a magical call that made me go to a cottage at the other end of town, it was the cry of a woman. I felt the seconds turned into hours until I reached the collapsed door and saw Klaus raising his ax, pounding on the wooden floor. A childish scream was bursting my ears.

\- “KLAUS! – I yell as loud as possible. - KLAUS, STOP! "

The Horseman reached into the hole with his gloved hand and pulled out a little boy who was crying, screaming, and shaking his legs.

-"NO!"

I drove the sword into his back with all my body weight and it pierced through his chest. Not a single drop of blood emerged from the wound, but he dropped the boy and quickly I picked him up in my arms and bolted out of the cottage.

I listened in horror to the sound of his spurs as he mounted his steed and began to hunt me down. I ran towards a bridge and thanked god a young blonde man was trotting up on his horse, probably alarmed by the screams.

\- "The Horseman!" - I screamed. - "The Headless Horseman!"

The young man took aim with his musket and the bullet impact was so strong that Klaus fell backwards. I thought for a moment that that was the end. The Headless Horseman was defeated... The tears of the child soaked my chest and a burning in my throat indicated that I was about to cry too, but a second later the Hessian got up and continued walking as if nothing had happened. The young man tried desperately to reload his musket, but the Horseman passed by ignoring him. I turned my back to keep running and collided head-on with Ichabod.

\- "Run and hide in the church." - He ordered. - "He will not stop until he ends the life of that child."

And with no more words, Ichabod ran to the aid of the young man who was now fighting hand to hand with the Hessian.

It didn't take me long to find the little church. Relieved, I saw Katrina and young Masbath waiting for me.

\- "Alice!" - Katrina exclaimed hugging me. - "Come in, you'll be safe."

I walked into the church with Katrina while Jonathan closed the doors, securing them with heavy wooden beams. I flopped onto the shiny wooden floor, hugging the little boy, and I tried to stop crying.

 _-"He will not stop."_ \- I thought. - _"There is nothing that can stop him."_


End file.
